Lace Bugs

Lace Bugs

Lace Bugs (Plant Bugs) use their sucking mouth parts to feed on plant sap. Damage ranges from many small white spots on the leaves to distortion or destruction of plant tissue, depending on the pest and host plant. Some feed on many different types of plants while others feed only on a narrow range or single species. Fourlined plant bugs feed on many herbaceous and woody ornamentals including currant, rose, forsythia, sumac, and viburnum. The nymphs are bright red or yellow, adults is yellow to yellow green. Both stages have four distinct black lines running the length of the body, hence their name. This plant bug can be very destructive, especially to herbs and mint. It feeds first on the upper, tender foliage leaving distinct reddish-brown spots. These spots, the plant’s reaction to enzymes injected into the leaf by the insect, can range from white to almost black depending on the host. Feeding by large numbers of plant bugs can produce large brown blotches and/or leaf distortion. Females cut slits into the host plant and lay six to eight eggs inside. There is one generation a year. It occurs during a six-week period from late May through June. Honey locust plant bugs, are 3/16″ long, light green insects that cause honey locust and black locust foliage to become discolored, stunted, or deformed. These insects do their damage early in the spring but the symptoms persist through the season. Severe infestation can even cause twig dieback. Adults occur from late May to early July. There is one generation occurs per year, eggs are laid in the woody tissue and overwinter there. On problem trees, watch carefully for signs of activity in the spring. Examine terminal foliage for presence of the insects. Treatment when leaves first open with the proper control will achieve the best results.

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